The beginning of this production of Shakespeares most bitter- sweet comedy is stunning. Simply staged and performed by an ensemble all dressed in black, the music which is the food of love is ravishing indeed. This sets the tone for a very stylish and inventive rendition of the play.
Once they have established that Orsino, Duke of Illyria, is in love with the countess Olivia, the staging of the storm which spits out the twins Sebastian and Viola onto the shore is amazing. Thus a plot of mistaken identity, amorous confusion and comic revenge is set in motion. Unfortunatley there was no cast list available, but I thought the actors playing the twins were particularly strong, and the direction/choreography was tight and inventive. The simple lighting, using mostly primary colours is very effective.
However, the mission statement of this talented company states the production focuses on the truth of the characters rather than the farcical aspects of the play which have distanced the audience from the intimate common ground they share with the characters. Sorry, run that by me again. This play has survived 400 years because it is a masterpiece., its structure as near perfect as any comedy in the English language. I understand it had to be cut for an Edinburgh time slot, but you tamper with that structure at your peril. Indeed, if it had been paced as Shakespearean comedy should be, that is, very fast, we could have had a lot more of the original text left in.
Crucially, some of the male characters are played by women, as women. I sort of warmed to the female Sir Toby Belch, and can see how in an ensemble like this doing Shakespeare such casting would be necessary. The problem is that this play is above all about gender and sexuality. The casting of Antonio as a woman totally unbalances this thematically. It is quite clear in the text that Antonio is in love with Sebastian. to his image, which I thought did promise most venerable worth, did I devotion. Having a woman play this part as a woman robs the relationship of its power, and the play of one of its most exciting dynamics. Orsino falls in love with Viola when shes dressed as a boy. Olivia does too, so essentially shes fallen in love with a woman. The character of Antonio, a man in love with a man, is crucial to the plays argument.
What is love? sings Feste the jester. The answer is surely the alternative title Shakespeare gave to this play. It is more complicated than boy meets girl. Its what you will.
